Millennials and Cybersecurity

Although millennials grew up as a tech-savvy generation, a ConsumerAffairs.com article says they appear to have a more relaxed attitude toward cybersecurity than their parents.

A recent FirstData study shows that baby boomers are generally more concerned about security than their younger peers. The researchers found that, overall, boomers did a better job of protecting personal information than millennials.

The study highlights two areas where millennials could do a better job — passwords and the use of social media.

Reusing passwords and oversharing

Consumers as a whole come up short in the use of strong, unique passwords. According to the data, 82 percent of millennials reuse passwords on websites and apps, and 42 percent will only change their passwords if required.

Millennials also appear to be significantly more trusting when it comes to social media. Only 43 percent of millennials worried about transmitting personal information on social media sites.

Advice for millennials

Millennials can improve their online security by focusing on strengthening passwords. Passwords should never be reused, especially those used on social media sites.

Consumers should also refrain from sharing too much personal information on social media. Even revealing your birth date on Facebook is not a good idea since that’s just one more piece of personal identifying information a hacker can use to steal your identity.